The Bear and The Nightingale: (Winternight Trilogy)

By Author / Illustrator

Katherine Arden

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

11+

Publisher

Cornerstone

ISBN

9781785031052

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

05-10-2017

Synopsis

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Beware the evil in the woods...

In a village at the edge of the wilderness of northern Russia, where the winds blow cold and the snow falls many months of the year, an elderly servant tells stories of sorcery, folklore and the Winter King to the children of the family, tales of old magic frowned upon by the church.

But for the young, wild Vasya these are far more than just stories. She alone can see the house spirits that guard her home, and sense the growing forces of dark magic in the woods. . .

Atmospheric and enchanting, with an engrossing adventure at its core, The Bear and the Nightingale is perfect for readers of Naomi Novik's Uprooted, Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus, and Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials.
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Now with over 100 5* reviews, readers are spellbound by this magical story:

'This book stayed with me, I didn't want it to end'

'A beautifully written story'

'An entrancing story, which swept me up from the very first chapter'

'Full of magic'
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Make sure you've read all the books in the acclaimed Winternight Trilogy

1. The Bear and the Nightingale
2. The Girl in the Tower
3. The Winter of the Witch

Reviews

Wow, what a debut novel... if you like your fairytales to involve demons, death, witches and vampires then you are going to love this first book of a new trilogy by Katherine Arden. The backdrop of this story is Russia, in deep winter. Vasya and her siblings cuddle up against the warm ovens in their home with their housekeeper/nurse as she tells them stories of myth, folklore, magic and evil. However, these are not just stories for Vasya, she has a gift and she alone can see the house spirits that wander in her village. Her family, along with the other people in her village, leave offerings for these house spirits each night for their protection through the harsh Russian winters and they have been rewarded for doing so, until they are taught to turn their backs on them by an arrogant priest that is sent to stay among them. Vasya's stepmother, Anna, forbids her young, wild step-daughter to reward these 'evil demons', which she duly ignores and Anna slowly turns the village and the priest against her... The Bear and the Nightingale has all the 'triggers' of a traditional fairytale; the jealous stepmother, kindly father, demons (good and bad ), a strong, loving, adventurous heroine that you cannot fail to fall in love with and root for, whose wildness and the love of her surroundings is part of her appeal. And of course, a Prince, or in this case a Winter King! Even though this is a book of fantasy, it is deeply rooted in Russian folklore, which I knew nothing about until I started reading this. There is a great glossary of the language at the back of the book which I recommend you use and of course the internet, if like me you want to delve a little deeper into some of the traditions. Katherine Arden's writing is evocative and beautifully descriptive with enough imagery to make you smell the smoke and feel the cold, and make you wish that a horse like Solovey would come your way; it's that haunting and vivid. She also manages to capture the richness of relationships among family and friends, fathers and daughters, damaged relationships and secret or personal agendas. 410 well written pages, great for the confident 14+ fantasy reader. It would also be a good book for book clubs or a class read as there are so many discussions points within the story. There are a few reading group questions to start you off at the back of the book. Take the time to read this book, (you will not manage it in one sitting); you will not be disappointed. Thankfully, I have book 2, The Girl in the Tower, to pick up straight away and continue my journey with Vasya. 464 pages / Ages 14+ / Reviewed by Linda Brown, school librarian.